Jason McKelvey

my understanding is that the only difference between a DVCAM tape and a miniDV tape (other than appearence) is that DVCAM tape comes from the middle of the spool during manufacturing. This is the sweet spot of the reel and is supposed to be better tape. mini DVCAM tapes should work fine in your XL1. Correct me if I'm wrong, Jason

This looks interesting, a solid state HD recorder: http://www.btcinema.com/products.html J

Check this camera out... it's shoots 24P HD. http://ikegami.com/br/products/hdtv/hdtv_camera_frame1.html Use this with a B4 to PL mount adaptor from www.xl1solutions.com and you can use any wide angle PL mount prime lens. One important note: the adaptor from xl1solutions isn't like the P&S Technik... it's a small, milled stainless steel piece, not an electronic devise. So it does double the focal length like a 2x extender. So if you wanted a 20mm focal lenght you would need a 10mm PL prime. The P&S is such a monstrosity, it doesn't accomodate tight spaces. Or you could just use an HD B4 prime. Ikegami also has a full HD wireless microwave transmitter... may you could use that instead of a craddled recorder in the car. Just some wild ideas, Jason

I'm not blown away by Frances yet! I use an SDX900... is'nt an eyepiece heater more of a film camera thing? I was hoping for an antifog coating or spray or something. Thanks Jason

I'm in Florida (says it all) and my viewfinder is constently fogging up. Any anti-fog solutions you guys recommend. Thanks, Jason

I've never used the spot feature on my meter... I've heard that some guys only use it rarely... What I would get if I were you is a footcandle meter. It's not that hard to memorize what footcandles readings you like for different effects. For instance, indoor controlled lighting for drama need not be more than 10 to 20 footcandles when using our SDX900 in 0db or +6db. jason

If you could only pick three 35mm lenses, which three lenses would you pick... one wide for handheld/Steadicam, one for close-ups and one for telephoto? Also, does anyone know where I can find a chart or formula for 35mm focal length to 2/3" video conversion? Thanks! Jason

For as much as a nice light meter, you could get a decent 8" broadcast montitor and actually see if it looks good. I can appreciate the use of a light meter, I have one myself, but respectfully, who cares what the ASA is at X shutter speed at X fps as long as it looks good on a monitor? With film I understand... you don't get to see the finished product. If you don't have a broadcast monitor, sure use the meter... but if it came time to buy something, I'd get a used monitor first. I've never been on a professional video shoot that didn't have a monitor, and on these shoots I've never seen a meter used. Sorry if I sounded sarcastic, I didn't mean too... I don't come from a film background and this guy sounds like a video guy in need of a video solution. Sincerely, Jason

We bought the Canon HJex21x7.5 HD lens with our sdx900. It's a great piece of glass. The only thing I don't like about it, which is a big problem with most video lenses, is the breathing. A great feature it has is an anti-ramping feature that stops your zoom when before the light falls off at the end of the lens. If you want to use the end of the lens for max zoom, you can turn the feature off. As far as the .8x converter, We got ours without it, as I understand, you lose on the wide side of the lens. We bought our lens for mostly longer beauty shots and have a Canon 5.2 SD wide angle for wide stuff. Saved us a few bucks. PS: whats EPK? Jason

There are 3 settings that can make a big impact of black levels, setup, gamma and master black. I agree, get a real engineer to help. Rent the RCP (remote control panel) if you don't have one. It makes things soooo much faster and easier. We got one with our SDX and it was worth the extra $1200 ($ I think). Also, Tiffen makes several contrast filters you might want to try. Jason

Another great piece of equipment for any video shoot is a portable waveform monitor. This will tell you acurate information on lighting levels for the whole picture. Set the lighting to the on set monitor, then use a white card in front of the subjects face, facing the key light. Then record the IRE response of the white card. Now, when you change locations or angles, all you have to do is bring the key light up until the white card reaches that same IRE level. You can use a 18% grey card too, but white stands out better. For more advanced cameras, a waveform can help you set knee, setup and white clip levels as well. Sincerely, Jason

Nobody watches anything in native 24P. If you went to NAB, you might have seen some native 24P production monitors, which strobed hard like a film camera viewfinder image. Remember, whenever we watch a movie off a DVD on a regular SD TV, you are watching a 3:2 pulldown image, that is also be interlaced. With a decent TV, it looks great; I don't notice excessive strobing. We have a Panasonic SDX900 and when in recorded in 24P mode and played back in 60i with a 3:2 pulldown (done in the camera) on a broadcast 60i monitor, it looks fantastic. All progressive material, in comparison to anything interlaced, will appear "strobish" when side by side with interlaced. Watch Enemy of the State with Will Smith. Tell me that didn't have a bit of strobishness. We get used to it, and to a certain extent, expect it for the film look. If you see excessive strobing with your 24P camera, you are probably using it like a video camera instead of a film camera. You can't just start whipping it around. The mass of a Panavision camera help prevent stroby handheld stuff. You get a DVX100 and start doing hand held work... of course it's going to strobe!!!! Learn how to use your video camera like a film camera. I emplore you guys that think film will never die... start learning the video stuff on the side. There was a time when everyone would have said that TV dramas will NEVER be done on video... don't think technology is going to stand still for film. Will video ever look as good as film? Does it matter? No. DPs might not usher in cine style video cameras... the people writing the checks will.

I would be interested in sharing good scene files with anyone experimenting with the 900. Sincerely, Jason www.calvaryftl.org

Start with one, soft source like a Arri 650 with Chimera positioned close to the subject. Most of the time, you won't need much else. 3 point lighting like you learn at community college always makes the food look greasy instead of juicy. Jason

I found this company www.xl1solutions.com and they say they have a PL mount to B4 (sony 2/3") adaptor ($400), but it is just a machined piece of steel, unlike the P&S Technik PRO35 ($$$$$) which has spinning, moving, motorized parts. That makes me wonder what limitations it may have, and, what characteristics of the 35mm lens it conveys to the camera. In my case, it would be a SDX900 (24P, 50mbs mode of course!) And by the way, how will the SDX900 operate when no lens is connected to the lens cable? Thanks, Jason

Get an SDI input card... By the way, our church had Digital-S for a while, but it was very unreliable and so we dropped it and went to DVCPRO50. For what it's worth. Jason